The Boston Celtics have clinched the top spot in the Eastern Conference, ensuring homecourt advantage for the playoffs. However, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal expressed doubts about their potential to leverage this advantage fully.
Speaking on “The Big Podcast,” O’Neal labeled the Celtics as “overrated.” With his extensive NBA background, he emphasized that championships define true success, not just excellent regular season records.
O’Neal remarked, “You’ve gotta show me. I’ve been around this league a long time, and seen a lot of guys that have had a great regular season and haven’t won championships.” He argued that a team must consistently elevate their game throughout the playoffs to achieve greatness.
Despite the Celtics being strong contenders in the NBA and boasting stars like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, they have often fallen short of expectations, reaching the NBA Finals only once since 2010. O’Neal’s critique is underscored by his personal experience, as his final NBA season was with the Celtics in 2010-11.
